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Agenda Item 6 WEST AREA PLANNING COMMITTEE 12th December 2017 Application Number: 17/02109/FUL Decision Due by: 18th October 2017 Extension of Time: 19th December 2017 Proposal: Partial demolition of existing building, alteration and extension to create a new link, rear extension and provision of bin and cycle stores. Removal of trees and landscaping. (amended plans) Site Address: Bardwell Court, Bardwell Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire Ward: St Margarets Ward Case Officer Robert Fowler Agent: Peter Brampton Applicant: St John’s College Reason at Committee: This application is being brought back to the committee for determination following agreement by the Head of Planning, Sustainable Development and Regulatory Services. 1. RECOMMENDATION 1.1. West Area Planning Committee is recommended to: (a) Approve the application for the reasons given in the report and subject to the required planning conditions set out in section 12 of this report and grant planning permission (b) Agree to delegate authority to the Head of Planning, Sustainable Development and Regulatory Services to: 1. Finalise the recommended conditions as set out in this report including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Head of Planning, Sustainable Development and Regulatory Services considers reasonably necessary; 2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2.1. This report considers the proposals to substantially alter and extend Bardwell Court, provide new bin, cycle stores and landscaping. The proposed development would be acceptable in principle and would represent an improvement in terms of the appearance of the application site in the streetscene and in terms of its impact on the Conservation Area. The proposed development would not give rise to an unacceptable impact on the amenity of surrounding 173 residential occupiers and would not have a harmful impact on the setting of listed buildings. Other aspects of the development including its impact on biodiversity, surface water and trees are either acceptable or can be resolved through the recommended conditions. 2.2. The key matters for assessment set out in this report include the following: Principle of development; Design; Impact on the Conservation Area Impact on the setting of Listed Buildings Impact on neighbours Trees and landscaping Biodiversity Access and parking Flooding and surface water drainage 3. LEGAL AGREEMENT 3.1. This application is not subject to a legal agreement. 4. COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE LEVY (CIL) 4.1. The proposal would not be liable to a CIL payment. 5. SITE AND SURROUNDINGS 5.1. The site is located within North Oxford and is within the North Oxford Victorian Suburb Conservation Area. The area is characterised by larger properties (detached and semi-detached) usually with large front and rear gardens. Properties in the area are predominately in use as family homes and the area has a residential character. 5.2. To the rear of the site there are listed buildings at No.s 2-4 Charlbury Road (immediately to the north of the application site) and No. 2 Northmoor Road (which lies approximately 60m north-west of the application site). No.s 2-4 Charlbury Road and No. 2 Northmoor Road are all Grade II Listed Buildings. As a result of mature vegetation, existing boundaries and the substantial lengths of rear gardens these listed buildings are not particularly visible from the application site or its immediate surroundings. There is a view of the rear aspect of application site from Charlbury Road where No. 2-4 Charlbury Road are also visible; though there is a high wall along the boundary of No. 21 Bardwell Road which limits the view of the garden of the application site. 5.3. The generous front and rear gardens of properties contributes positively to the appearance of the area with mature vegetation in front gardens and glimpses of trees in rear gardens being a particularly important feature of this part of the Conservation Area. Although some properties have clearly been altered and extended the original division of plots, in most cases delineated by low boundary 174 walls in front gardens is apparent in the streetscene. The low boundary treatments at the front of the properties is particularly important in terms of providing a characteristically spacious feel to the streetscene. 5.4. The application site is composed of what were once three original houses (converted into flats in the 1930s). The links between these houses are of a lower quality than the original houses; these links have created a terrace effect that upsets the rhythm of buildings on the north side of Bardwell Road. The original parts of the buildings are typical of this part of the Conservation Area in both their use of materials and architectural detailing. 5.5. The front of the site is composed of a large gravel parking area. There are some small trees and shrubs along the frontage and a low brick wall around the front of the site. Unfortunately the existing gravel parking area does not contribute positively to the otherwise verdant appearance of this part of Bardwell Road. Further to this, the original delineations of the plots that would have existed when the buildings on the site were constructed have been lost through the amalgamation of the front gardens into a single parking area. 5.6. The rear aspect of the site contains some later flat roof additions and first floor additions that include unsympathetic roof forms and dormers. Whilst these aspects of the existing site are not overly visible in the public realm they do detract from the overall appearance of the site when viewed from the rear garden in particular. 5.7. The application site benefits from a large rear garden. The rear garden contains some mature trees and shrubs and existing outbuildings which are later additions and do not contribute positively to the appearance of the site. © Crown Copyright and database right 2011. Ordnance Survey 100019348 175 6. PROPOSAL 6.1. Planning permission is sought to demolish the existing links between the original buildings and to replace one of the links with a new link and entrance. The demolition of the other link would create a new gap (with access into the garden at the rear). 6.2. The existing flat roofed extensions to the rear of the properties are proposed to be improved and altered. Dormer windows at the rear are also proposed to be removed (to re-instate a more sympathetic and original roofscape). 6.3. The proposals also include extensive internal alterations to the flats with no change in the overall number of flats but improvements to provide layouts that are more suited to modern living. The improved flats would also benefit from improved communal areas, some of the flats are also proposed to benefit from private gardens at the ground floor level and terraces at the first floor level. As a result of the proposed changes the existing shared garden at the rear would be enclosed to provide private amenity spaces for the ground floor flats. 6.4. It is proposed to replace existing windows with slimlite double glazing to all units. A new lift is proposed within the building to provide improved accessibility to the flats. 6.5. An existing coal store and cycle store are proposed to be demolished in the rear garden. 6.6. The proposals include alterations leading to a reduction in car parking at the front of the building. It is proposed for the front gardens to be partially re-instated with new landscaping. 6.7. New cycle and refuse and recycling stores are proposed to the front and sides of the buildings. 7. RELEVANT PLANNING HISTORY 7.1. The table below sets out the relevant planning history for the application site: 57/06034/A_H - Conversion and alterations of one flat into two. PER 28th May 1957. 61/10251/A_H - Store shed, cycle shelters and coal store.. PER 10th January 1961. 77/00284/AH_H - Conversion of existing 1 flat into 3 self-contained flats.. PER 16th June 1977. 12/01518/CAT - Fell dead tree in the North Oxford Victorian Suburb 176 Conservation Area.. NNR 9th July 2012. 13/00749/CAT - Fell Cedar tree and prune 2no Cypress trees (reduce height by 1m approx) in the North Oxford Victorian Suburb.. RNO 24th April 2013. 17/02109/FUL - Partial demolition of existing building, alteration and extension to create a new link, rear extension and provision of bin and cycle stores. Removal of trees and landscaping. (amended plans). PDE . 8. RELEVANT PLANNING POLICY 8.1. The following policies are relevant to the application: Topic National Local Plan Core Sites and Other Planning Planning Strategy Housing Plan Documents Policy Framework (NPPF) Design 11, 14, 17, CP1, CP6, CS18, CS9 HP14 56 CP8, CP10, CP11 Conservation/ 128, 131, HE3 HE7 Managing Heritage 132, 139 Significance in Decision Taking in the Historic Environment (Historic England) and The Setting of Heritage Assets Housing 49 CS23 CS2 HP2, HP4, HP9, HP10 Commercial Natural NE16 Environment Social and community Transport 29 HP15, HP16 Parking Standards SPD 177 Environmental Energy Statement TAN Misc CP19, MP1 Telecommunic CP20, ations SPD, CP21 External Wall Insulation TAN, 9. CONSULTATION RESPONSES 9.1. Site notices were displayed around the application site on 12th October 2017 and an advertisement was published in The Oxford Times newspaper on 7th September 2017. 9.2. The application has been subject to re-advertisement with new site notices displayed for amended plans from 12th October until 27th October. Statutory and Non-Statutory Consultees Oxfordshire County Council (Highways) 9.3. No objections subject to conditions relating to cycle parking and car parking layout. Public representations 9.4. 7 no. objections were received from residents in Bardwell Road The Victorian Group of Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society, Linton Road Neighbourhood Association and Oxford Preservation Trust have commented.